The Pexapark Podcast

Pexapark

Welcome to The Pexapark Podcast, your fortnightly edit of impactful intelligence in renewable energy, Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and beyond. Every two weeks, our COO & Co-Founder Luca Pedretti kicks off with key market, regulatory, pricing and deal making updates in Europe and North America.In the second part, Luca hosts an in-depth conversation with an industry expert, discussing candid perspectives on the critical trends shaping our sector. For more insights, register for a free Pexapark account here: https://go.pexapark.com/podcastsAbout Us Pexapark is the price intelligence platform for clean energy, covering solar, wind, and battery storage across more than 20 countries. We help clean energy buyers, sellers, and investors navigate increasingly complex power markets with confidence.

  1. 2d ago

    From Oil Major to Energy Integrator: Managing 6 GW of Renewables with Maria Paz of Repsol

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti sits down with Maria Paz, Director of Energy Management and Thermal Generation at Repsol, to discuss what it takes to build and manage a large-scale renewable portfolio within an integrated energy company. With more than 6 GW of renewable capacity across Spain, the US, Chile, and Italy, Repsol offers a unique perspective on combining generation, retail demand, trading, and risk management under a single commercial strategy. Key themes from the discussion include: How Repsol integrates generation, retail demand, and trading activitiesWhy PPAs remain essential for de-risking renewable investmentsHow portfolio optimization captures value across forward, spot, and ancillary service marketsThe role of hybridization and grid constraints in future project developmentWhy renewable commercialization is becoming increasingly complex as markets evolveIn the second part of the episode, Luca turns to recent Pexapark market intelligence, examining Italy's rapidly evolving renewable and storage market. He highlights the upcoming MACSE storage auction, the launch of a market-based FCR mechanism, and new FERX renewable support rounds. Across all three developments, a common theme emerges: developers and lenders continue to place a high value on long-term revenue certainty, while regulators increasingly design mechanisms that support system integration and flexibility. The takeaway: Italy is reinforcing its position as one of Europe's most important renewable and storage markets through a combination of regulated support schemes and market-based incentives. Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    29 min
  2. May 21

    Co-location & Hybrid PPAs in Germany: What’s Real, What’s Priced, What’s Next

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti sits down with Max von Hausen, Pexapark’s Regional Lead for PPA and BESS Transactions in the DACH region, to explore the rise of co-located renewable and battery projects – and what hybrid PPA structures actually look like in practice. Drawing from ongoing negotiations and market outreach across Europe, the conversation examines how developers, utilities, corporates, and lenders are approaching the rapidly evolving market for hybrid offtake agreements in Germany and beyond. Key themes from the discussion: What hybrid PPAs are and how co-located solar and BESS projects are structuredWhy negative prices and falling capture rates are accelerating co-locationHow pay-as-produced, pay-as-nominated, and hybrid structures differWhy developers are balancing fixed revenues with merchant exposureHow FCAs and grid constraints are shaping project economicsWhy co-location could become the standard model for future renewable projectsIn the second part of the episode, Luca turns to recent Pexapark market intelligence, examining how data center demand is reshaping US power markets. In ERCOT, uncertainty around future load growth is driving a sharp shift in forward curves, while hyperscalers continue paying premium prices for renewable PPAs. In PJM, supply constraints and slow interconnection processes are keeping solar PPA prices near record highs despite new reliability initiatives. The takeaway: data center demand is accelerating structural changes across US power markets, but supply bottlenecks continue to dominate pricing dynamics. Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    35 min
  3. May 7

    The Missing Layer of Power Markets: Battery Optimization with Steffen Schülzchen of Entrix

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti speaks with Steffen Schülzchen, CEO and Founder of Entrix, about the rise of battery optimization and the role of software in turning flexibility into a scalable business. Entrix is one of Europe’s leading battery optimizers in the flexibility space, helping large-scale batteries operate across power markets, ancillary services, and evolving offtake structures. Key themes from the discussion: What a battery optimizer actually does – beyond simply “trading” batteries How Entrix uses software and automation to optimize BESS across multiple revenue streams Why battery performance depends on market forecasts, asset constraints, warranties, and state of charge How optimization agreements, merchant exposure, and longer-term offtake structures are evolving Why European expansion requires local market knowledge, even with a scalable tech platform How the optimizer market may develop across Europe as flexibility becomes critical infrastructure In the second part of the episode, Luca turns to recent Pexapark market intelligence. He examines the role of demand-side flexibility in Europe’s changing power system, and why it looks compelling on paper but remains difficult to scale in practice. While industrial demand response can compete with BESS in some balancing and capacity markets, its availability depends on operational constraints and market design. The takeaway: demand-side flexibility has a role to play, but for now, BESS remains the more controllable, scalable force shaping intraday spreads in Europe. Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    38 min
  4. Apr 9

    The AWS for Power: How Philipp Man of terralayr Wants to Shape the BESS Offtake Market

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti speaks with Philipp Man, CEO and Founder of terralayr, about his vision for building a scalable platform for battery flexibility. The conversation explores how terralayr combines a BESS IPP model with a software-driven route to market, and how asset owners can structure revenues across contracted and merchant exposure, multiple optimizers, and evolving offtake products. Key themes from the discussion: Why flexibility is emerging as the next critical layer in energy marketsHow terralayr combines asset ownership with a software-based commercialization platformWhy asset owners are moving beyond the binary of fully merchant vs fully contractedHow virtual tolls, optimizer baskets, and auction-based mechanisms expand BESS revenue strategiesWhat is driving demand, pricing, and counterparty dynamics in Germany’s BESS offtake marketWhy bankability still hinges on credible counterparties and proven tolling structuresIn the second part of the episode, Luca turns to Pexapark market intelligence, unpacking how geopolitical tensions are reshaping European power markets. He examines how the Iran war is being priced as a structural supply risk – increasing gas prices and volatility, and improving the outlook for BESS revenues – while also widening bid-ask spreads and slowing long-term contracting. The discussion then shifts to flexible connection agreements (FCAs) in Germany, highlighting how non-firm grid access introduces volume risk and increases pricing uncertainty for traditional tolling structures. The takeaway: Germany’s BESS offtake market is increasingly pointing toward more flexible, portfolio-based and financial solutions – including partial tolling, virtual tolls, and top-bottom swaps. NOTES How Flexible Connection Agreements Reshape BESS Tolls in Germany Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    37 min
  5. Mar 26

    An Overview of the US BESS Offtake Market: From Tolls to TB Swaps with Supria Ranade from JP Morgan

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti is joined by Supria Ranade, Executive Director, Power Origination at J.P. Morgan, to explore the evolving landscape of the US battery offtake market. The discussion looks at how the market is moving beyond traditional tolling structures toward more sophisticated hedging solutions such as top-bottom (TB) swaps – and what this shift means for pricing, risk transfer, and market participants. Key themes from the discussion: How the US battery offtake market has evolved from traditional tolls to TB swaps and other structured hedgesThe three core battery revenue streams: energy arbitrage, ancillary services, and capacityWhy ERCOT and CAISO remain the key markets shaping battery contracting and tradingWho is buying and selling TB products – from utilities and hedge providers to corporates and data centersWhy battery offtake remains largely an OTC market, even as benchmark products gain tractionWhat TB pricing reveals about market volatility, battery duration, and the value of storage flexibilityIn the second part of the episode, Luca is joined by Pexapark colleagues Jeremy Zelinger and Tyler Anderson to discuss a major expansion of Pexapark’s US storage price intelligence. The focus is on new TB4 and TB6 benchmarks for longer-duration batteries in ERCOT and PJM, the methodology behind them, and early insights – including strong seasonality in persistent value and diminishing returns as battery duration increases. Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    37 min
  6. Mar 12

    From Volume to Value: The Next Phase of Renewable Investing with Domenico Tripodi of AIP

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti speaks with Domenico Tripodi, Partner and Co-Head of Investments at AIP Management, about how financial investors are navigating a renewables market shaped by merchant exposure, changing valuations, and shifting value pools. The conversation explores how private capital is adapting as the sector moves beyond the growth expectations of previous years toward a more complex investment environment. Enjoy their conversation on topics including: Why equity valuations and growth assumptions in parts of renewables were overstated between 2019 and 2023How financial structuring helped investors stay defensive through that periodWhy value is increasingly shifting from greenfield development toward aggregation and brownfield assetsHow IPPs may need to move downstream and build new commercial capabilitiesWhy enterprise value in renewables is becoming more tied to portfolio and revenue managementHow investors are thinking about flexibility, ancillary services, and risk-adjusted returns in renewable-heavy systemsIn the second part of the episode, Luca turns to Pexapark market intelligence, looking at the anticipated overhaul of Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG). The discussion focuses on the proposed shift to a two-sided CfD system, what it could mean for auction dynamics, and how the changes may affect both the German PPA market and developer strategies. Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    34 min
  7. Feb 26

    Navigating the New IFRS Reality for PPA with Francisco Jimenez of EY

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti sits down with Francesco Jimenez, Partner at EY, to break down a topic that has quickly become front-of-mind for many offtakers and developers: IFRS and PPA accounting. With new rules applying from January 1, 2026, the conversation looks at what has actually changed, why it matters, and how companies can prepare – especially when PPAs may trigger derivative accounting, fair value movements, and earnings volatility. Enjoy their conversation on topics including: What IFRS is – and why the January 1, 2026 amendments matter for PPAsWhich PPAs are more likely to be treated as derivatives (and why)How the changes affect the “own-use” exemption for certain physical, pay-as-produced PPAsWhat hedge accounting can (and can’t) solve when fair value moves hit reportingHow fair value is determined in practice (Level 1 / 2 / 3 inputs) when PPA markets aren’t fully liquidPractical steps companies can take now: contract assessment, valuation inputs, and process readinessIn the second part of the episode, Luca turns to recent Pexapark market intelligence – starting with the first-ever Pexapark leaderboard for the European BESS offtake market, focused on Flexibility Purchase Agreements (FPAs) such as floors, tolls, and swaps (and excluding optimization agreements). The episode then shifts to Italy, where leaked details of a proposed New Energy decree reportedly triggered sharp moves in forward power prices and spillover into PPA pricing – highlighting how policy risk can quickly translate into market risk for offtake and investment decisions. Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    37 min
  8. Feb 12

    The Big Repricing: How Volatility and BESS Reshape Clean Energy Markets with Dominique Hischier of Pexapark

    Welcome back to The Pexapark Podcast! In the first part of the episode, Luca Pedretti is joined by Dominique Hischier, VP – Editorial & Analysis at Pexapark, to unpack the big theme of Pexapark’s Market Outlook 2026: “The Big Repricing – how volatility and BESS reshape clean energy markets.” Enjoy their discussion on topics including: What it means to operate in a renewables-dominated power systemWhy price volatility is becoming structural, not cyclicalHow lower capture rates, negative prices, and curtailment are reshaping revenuesWhy value is shifting from generation toward flexibility and BESSHow offtake is evolving as PPA volumes fell ~15% in 2025The rise of FPAs and merchant optimization as core routes to market for batteriesIn the second part of the episode, Luca turns to recent Pexapark market intelligence on the world’s largest power market, PJM, and how it is being reshaped by rapid data center demand growth and thermal retirements. Capacity auction prices have cleared at the regulatory ceiling again, reserve margins are razor-thin, and new procurement models are emerging – from behind-the-meter and co-located strategies to regulatory changes enabling faster interconnection. The episode also looks at proposals for a one-time auction offering 15-year revenue certainty for new dispatchable generation, signaling a major potential shift in market design.   Pexapark’s Renewables Market Outlook 2026 is now available. The Big Repricing examines how record renewable deployment, rising volatility, and the rapid scale-up of BESS are reshaping how value is created and captured across clean energy markets. Download the full report Unlock More PPA Market Insights Register for your free Pexapark account to stay updated on the latest energy transition trends. Learn more >

    35 min

About

Welcome to The Pexapark Podcast, your fortnightly edit of impactful intelligence in renewable energy, Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and beyond. Every two weeks, our COO & Co-Founder Luca Pedretti kicks off with key market, regulatory, pricing and deal making updates in Europe and North America.In the second part, Luca hosts an in-depth conversation with an industry expert, discussing candid perspectives on the critical trends shaping our sector. For more insights, register for a free Pexapark account here: https://go.pexapark.com/podcastsAbout Us Pexapark is the price intelligence platform for clean energy, covering solar, wind, and battery storage across more than 20 countries. We help clean energy buyers, sellers, and investors navigate increasingly complex power markets with confidence.

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